# Sigil review (2026): is it any good? > Free open-source EPUB ebook editor for Windows, Mac and Linux Checked Nov 12, 2026 ยท graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA. Sigil is a desktop editor for creating and formatting ebooks in the EPUB format. It shows a code view and a preview side by side and supports both EPUB 2 and EPUB 3. It is free, open source under the GPLv3, and maintained by volunteers. - **Category:** Writing Tools - **Made by:** Sigil-Ebook (since 2009) - **Website:** https://sigil-ebook.com - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you want to write a manuscript in it, as it edits EPUB markup, not prose. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 12, 2026, Sigil is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** Completely free to download and use; no paid plans. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | The full application, free and open source under the GPLv3. | Read from https://sigil-ebook.com/sigil/ on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Sigil before buying. ## Key features - **EPUB 2 and EPUB 3:** Supports both versions of the EPUB specification, with direct editing of the EPUB's markup in Code View. - **Code View and Preview View:** Edit the markup and see how the page looks in a preview, so layout can be checked as you work. - **Table of contents and metadata:** A table of contents generator that handles multi-level headings, plus a metadata editor. - **Regex find and replace:** Find and replace with full regular-expression (PCRE) support, and spell checking with user dictionaries. - **Import and cleanup:** Imports EPUB and HTML files, images and style sheets, and can mend formatting or tidy the code. - **Plugins and checkpoints:** Plugin support extends the editor, and checkpoints let you compare snapshots of changes. ## Good for - Self-publishers formatting EPUB files themselves - Editors who want direct control over EPUB code - Anyone who wants a free, open-source ebook tool ## Worth knowing - It edits EPUB markup rather than writing prose, so a manuscript is usually drafted elsewhere and imported. - Code View assumes some comfort with HTML and CSS. - It is maintained by volunteers, with support through the project's channels rather than a company help desk. - No mobile or web version is listed. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.8 out of 4**, graded Nov 12, 2026. Sigil is a free, open-source desktop editor for EPUB ebooks, with code and preview side by side, EPUB 2 and 3 support and regex find and replace. It edits the book's markup rather than writing prose, so you draft elsewhere. It helps to know some HTML and CSS, and there's no company help desk. - **Value for money: A.** Free and open source under the GPLv3. A program anyone can download and run. - **Free plan and trial: A.** No paid plans, no caps and no account needed to use it. - **Features: C.** Does the EPUB editing job fully, with a table of contents builder, metadata editor, plugins and checkpoints. It's a smaller job, though: it doesn't help you write the book. - **Ease of use: C.** No store rating on record. Code View assumes some HTML and CSS. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Windows, Mac and Linux only, with no phone or web version. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Sigil-Ebook's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among writing tools - Sigil's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 95 of the 136 other writing tools we grade, and level with 23. - It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 108 of 136) and worst on features (C, above 2). - Sigil has no paid plan. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/writing ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** Sigil is free, so making your own would save you nothing. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 95 of the 136 other writing tools we grade. - You could make: Documents: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** Open source, Documents, Works offline ## Alternatives - [Pressbooks](https://toolgpa.com/tools/pressbooks): Book publishing platform that exports EPUB, PDF and web books. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/pressbooks-vs-sigil) - [Atticus](https://toolgpa.com/tools/atticus): Book writing and formatting app for ebooks and print. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/atticus-vs-sigil) - [Vellum](https://toolgpa.com/tools/vellum): Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/sigil-vs-vellum) - [Reedsy Studio](https://toolgpa.com/tools/reedsy-studio): Browser-based book writing app with free EPUB and PDF typesetting. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/reedsy-studio-vs-sigil) - [Scrivener](https://toolgpa.com/tools/scrivener): Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/scrivener-vs-sigil) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026: - https://sigil-ebook.com/sigil/ - https://sigil-ebook.com/ Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/sigil Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).